PPP's Asif Ali Zardari tipped to become Pakistan president: Reports

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari is poised to assume the presidency of Pakistan for a second term after the PPP agreed to form a coalition government with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) at the Centre, according to reports. According to The News International, citing sources, if the current situation persists the PML-N’s nominee is likely to become the Prime Minister, while the PPP’s candidate would secure the presidency. There are discussions of a reciprocal agreement between the PML-N and PPP, added the report. Following the split mandate in the February 8 elections, Pakistan has been without a government for nearly a week. None of the major parties secured a decisive majority, necessitating the formation of a coalition government to govern the country. In the envisioned alliance between the PML-N and PPP, Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is anticipated to assume the role of Pakistan’s next Prime Minister. The coming together of these two parties meant that the jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) would not be able to assume power despite the independent candidates it backed won the maximum number of seats in the National Assembly. PPP president Zardari, 68, served as the President of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013. The current Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi is scheduled to relinquish his post later this month. The PML-N on Tuesday night nominated 72-year-old Shehbaz as the prime ministerial candidate instead of the party supremo and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif. The 74-year-old veteran politician, who was seeking a record fourth term as prime minister, returned to Pakistan in October last year after ending a self-imposed exile in the UK. The PML-N and PPP have been joined by the MQM-P, PML-Q, IPP, and BAP to form a coalition government in the Centre on the pattern of the last government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). A press conference was held by all top leaders where they fielded various questions related to the government formation. To a question on the constitutional posts of National Assembly speaker, Senate chairman and president, the PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the party would decide its nominees for these posts but he wanted Asif Ali Zardari to become president because the country is burning and if anyone can help put the fire out, it is Asif Ali Zardari. The leadership of PML-N has agreed to support Zardari for the post of president in return for PPP’s support to Shehbaz for the PM’s post, The News International reported quoting sources in the know. Besides the presidency, according to the sources, PPP is also eyeing the post of Balochistan chief minister and party leader Sarfraz Bugti briefed his party on the province’s political situation, as per sources, The News International reported. With inputs from agencies